The Walt Disney Company started its India operations in July 2004 with its head office located in Mumbai and has significantly expanded its footprint in the country since then. Today the company is one of the leading film studios and film distributors in India; one of the largest TV networks with eight popular channels targeting kids, youth and families; a leading player in the digital, interactive and games segment and the largest licensor in the consumer products space. Building around core brands like Disney, Marvel, UTV, bindass, hungama, indiagames and Star Wars the organization is dedicated to developing and distributing the best in branded entertainment for Indian consumers across all age groups through films, television, digital and consumer products.

Walt Disney’s Business Objective and Leadership

Disney India’s leadership team manages the world’s largest media company and are the visionaries behind some of the most respected and beloved brands around the globe. The Walt Disney Company incorporates best-in-class business standards as a key pillar of its business practices.

Approach by Walt Disney

Disney channel targeted viewers between the ages of 4 to 14 during the most competitive season for their attention the summer season. It sought to be the most exciting place for kids in the summer of 2013 through increased viewer activation, new viewership, and viewer loyalty.

Going beyond the simple voting mechanisms of TV channels, Disney Channel Jet Set Go 2013 campaign invited viewers to participate in an interactive and toll-free gamified experience of the channel. This saw the implementation of a campaign that resulted in rich, loyal engagement with the Disney Channel for 100% of users with zero barriers. Disney Channel the best entertainment destination for kids and families across India has begun its one of the initiative “#JetSetGo”. Disney Channel associated with India’s premier international airline Jet Airways, they teamed up to give kids and their families a special opportunity to win a magical all-expenses paid trip to the “Happiest Place on Earth”, Hong Kong Disneyland. The contest was run throughout the month of May 2013 on Disney Channel and gave kids and their families plenty of chances to enter. Along with celebration of #JetSetGo, Disney Channel also took to the skies by wrapping a Jet Airways aircraft in Disney favorite characters Mickey and friends.

“The aircraft wrap is a unique way to quite literally take one’s brand to the sky.”

Here Children should accumulate points each time they spot the aircraft on Disney Channel by dialing a toll-free number flashing on the screen, absolutely free of cost and leaving a missed call. Whoever spots the plane for the maximum number of times per day earn the maximum number of points and at the end of each day and the highest scorer will be announced as the winner on Disney Channel. One winner will be chosen each day, over the period of 30 days with the winners and their families can join the winners for going to Hong Kong Disneyland Resort for a wonderful two day Disney experience.

In response to their toll-free calls to the number on the airplane, users received, based on their preference a SMS or voice interface detailing their new points and their total tally. Users with the most points at the end of the day were eligible to win a trip to Disneyland. The winners would be flown to Disneyland in a specially created Disney aircraft. This created the incentive for users to play and win on a daily basis. New users also encountered a personalized first time experience, different from repeat users. Utilizing patent-pending Friend Referral platform, users could also gain points by referring friends to play. New users from the referral program were similarly rewarded. At the close of the program, kids were invited to give Disney permission to be contacted for future Disney programmes. Keeping participation easy, fun and voluntary, this enabled the creation of a fan base that could be explored by Disney at any time.

Results of Jet Set Go Campaign

The first ever LOYALTY campaign on television, creating advanced 1-on-1 relationships with viewers.

This was first ever interactive LIVE game-play on television enabled through a unique zero cost to participant’s engagement mechanism:

40% increase in total viewership participation over the 2012 summer season – a participation level unheard of in the kids segment.

The winners were from smaller towns of India like Guwahati, Amreli, Patiala, Jagdalpur, Jabalpur etc. which are traditionally less connected with less reliable internet connectivity. This truly demonstrated the kind of reach that can be achieved by simplifying the mobile experience.

Of Course this was first ever VIRAL campaign on television without any need for an internet or data connection:

28% of participants discovered the campaign when they were referred by other viewers.

40% increase in the reach of core television media thanks to ZipDial viral friend referrals!

Users participated again and again, playing an average of 16 times to score points – 2x as much as Disney’s expectations based on previous campaigns. That is an exceptionally high rate of engagement and interactivity from “real-world” users interacting with traditional media rather than online.

14% of Contest participants opted to receive future promotions from the Disney brand. Disney has built loyal brand followers on ZipDial.

Learning

This campaign was able to drive truly personalized, end-to-end engagement, leading to better brand equity and real business results. It in the Heart of Disney’s DNA that their passion of telling the world’s best stories and providing unique experiences for kids and families. They were pleased to work with Jet Airways and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort to bring fans a fabulous opportunity to experience Disney magic. To mark a successful campaign without internet or data chargers, it is still a fun loving campaign and of course most awaited campaign for children’s.